


Galatea's Dilemma

by arcticFritillary



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: inconsistent programming syntax, made-up programming syntax, tags for warnings and characters will be added as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-31
Updated: 2013-01-23
Packaged: 2017-11-17 10:30:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/550596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcticFritillary/pseuds/arcticFritillary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edit: sorry, I know it's been ages since I updated this fic and that's been for several reasons. The main reason being no time, and the second reason being that the show went a different direction with the characters than I anticipated. That said, I don't want to abandon the fic itself, but it would require a huge rewrite. So I am saying that, should I return to work on this, there will be a huge editing process first.<br/>> CREATE NEW OBJECT host;<br/>> EXECUTE locate_host(host);<br/>>> locate_host() complete adding host data to database;</p>
<p>> QUERY host_name<br/>>> host_name: Jaime Reyes</p>
<p>> EXECUTE data_collection(host, continuous)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

> import weaponry.r;  
> import tactics.r;  
> import translation.r;  
> import knowledge_base.r;  
>> ERROR knowledge_base.r corrupted

> EXECUTE repair;  
>> ERROR cannot find repair.r

> import repair.r;  
>> ERROR repair.r does not exist. create new module? Y/N  
>>> Y  
> CREATE NEW MODULE repairs.r;

> import mission.r;  
>> ERROR mission.r corrupted

> EXECUTE repai  
>> process interrupted

> import log_1652413612;  
>> ERROR cannot find log_4136125202

> CREATE NEW LOG log_4136125216;

> CREATE NEW OBJECT host;

> EXECUTE locate_host(host);

*

Jaime did not lose control of his body in bits and pieces, toes and fingers first. The bug bite bit down so hard that he could hear his bones crunching, and then suddenly his limbs were not his own. He hadn’t lost awareness. He could still feel them, they hadn’t fallen off or anything like that. He hadn’t decided yet if this was a good or bad thing because what on earth was growing on him.

He panicked, or tried too. He only managed to contort his face in what feels like horror before a mechanical chittering filled his mind:

0110001101100001011011000110100101100010011100100110000101110100011010010110111001100111001000000110000101110010011011010110111101110010, it said.

What, Jaime tried to say. He couldn’t. He couldn’t move his tongue. His body wasn’t his own anymore. Nothing obeyed. His hands fell to his sides of their own (no, not their own) accord, and he felt -- were those wings? -- sprouting from his back. More chittering, like a thousand cicadas trapped in his head. He didn’t understand it, but he knew what it meant. Armor calibration, complete. Spatial and temporal calibration, complete.

He panicked again. This couldn’t be happening, this wasn’t happening, this

Help

Someone

Anyone

Help me

The cicadas started again: 011101000111001001100001011011100111001101101100011000010111010001100101

calm down now or action will be taken.

The voice in Jaime’s head stopped sounding like cicadas and now spoke like him. Not the fake-him that he heard on recordings and videos, the one that was coarse and still spoke with an accent despite everything he tried, but the real-him. How he heard himself speaking, in his head and out of it. Whatever is in him (not cicadas, a beetle, a scarab, once worshipped, once holy, once ERROR attempting repairs) stole his body and now his voice, too.

Get out of me, he thought. Felt. Was, all the way down to the marrow in his bones. The scarab was embedded in his spine, couldn’t dig it out, but the armor still was only an outer shell. He may not have complete control of his body but he still had some.

It was like his limbs had been encased in sand, like that time he had gone to the beach and his cousins had buried him up to his neck in sand. He had gotten the worst sunburn of his life and Milargo had peed herself laughing, so the final score was 1-1.

Inch by inch, Jaime moved his hands. They quickly shifted between weapons - sonic blaster, plasma cannon, phaser -- not a phaser \-- shut up, yes it is -- claws, blades, and things Jaime couldn’t name. Things which could not be translated.

cease and desist. resistance will only impede integration, not prevent it.

Jaime rebelled and unfurled its -- his -- wings, still wet and fragile. Brand new, never used. They glimmered in the light of the Kord fire, the scales millions of tiny mirrors and veins opal rivers. They vibrated, eager for flight, and Jaime --

no. they are not ready. stop this NOW.

“Nope.”

Everything went black.

*

> EXECUTE report_diagnostics();  
>> REPORT armor calibration to host, complete; spatial calibration, complete; temporal calibration, complete; weapon calibration, complete;

> EXECUTE testing flight modules in 2 as;dfeicasdfaeaihg;a;  
>> ERROR DATA TIME_UNITS CORRUPTED reverting to host TIME_UNITS

> EXECUTE testing flight modules in 5 minutes; testing weapons modules in 0 seconds;  
>> plasma_cannon deployed, time: 3 seconds; firing in

“No.”

> ERROR testing failed; unable to fire plasma cannon; cause: host

what.

“That is a -- police car,” says the host. Laboriously, but not hesitant. “You can’t -- fire at -- one.”

> QUERY police car;  
>> unknown subject; not in database; create new entry? Y/N  
>>> N

> QUERY you;  
>> you: subjective or objective pronoun; second person; singular or plural; personal pronoun to differentiate between speaker and other beings  
>>> host speaking to unknown "you"; evidence indicates "you" is unit KHAJI DA  
> input invalid; unit KHAJI DA cannot possess a sense of self. conflict of interest with asf;ljfawe;fjasdf000101010100011asf  
>> ERROR class mission corrupted

> create new entry? Y/N  
>> Y

> CREATE NEW OBJECT khaji da; accepted alternate input "you"  
> EXECUTE data_collection(khaji da, continuous);

recommended course of action: test weapon functionality for possible errors

“You can’t just go blowing up police cars!”

weaponry must be tested to ensure no errors were incurred during conception and calibration

“Well not in the parking lot of a building on fire! The police will be here soon and I have to get home!”

> addendum(host): induced unconscious state ended earlier than expected, consider increasing dosage;  
> REPORT STATUS forewings;  
>> READY  
> DEPLOY forewings;

testing will continue elsewhere then

“Madre de Dios! What are you doing?!”

*

Flying was a lot less cool than Jaime had expected. People lied. Flying wasn’t fun. Flying was terrifying and horrible and --

“I’m going to be sick,” he said, feeling his stomach churn ominously. He swallowed the bile rising up his esophagus, and again when that didn’t seem to work. This wasn’t good, not good at all.

viral and bacterial disease carriers are not present. why are biochemical changes and automatic motor actions occurring?

“B-because I’m gonna --”

Jaime couldn’t finish. Dinner -- hamburgers, fries, coke; eaten with Tye, Brenda, and Paco -- came up first, violently. What felt like sludge, tasted like copper, smelled like gasoline, and looked like brilliant blue foam came up next. Again and again, for what felt like ages. He had stopped flying, at least.

what is this? what is happening? why are you doing this? said the voice, quick, high, and pinched. It sounded confused. Distressed, like the first time he had vomited. First grade, and no one let him live it down for years. Some still didn’t.

“You flew too fast without warning me,” said Jaime. The suit lowered itself nearer to the ground but didn’t land. So that was how you hovered with these things. “I told you -- I felt sick.”

recalibration is necessary to prevent this from occurring in the future.

*

> EXECUTE recalibration(host);  
>> interrupt all non-necessary functions;

> recalling armor;

> adjusting host parameters;  
>> biochemical changes in host preceded distress and led to an automatic physical response in host. searching operating protocols;

> ERROR class protocol cannot be found. create new class? Y/N  
>> Y

> CREATE NEW CLASS protocol;  
>> SET primary_protocol:  
>>> protect host and unit khaji da from physical and psychological distress.

> addendum(primary_protocol,host): biochemical changes in host are a warning sign of future physical distress. inform host of these changes to prevent automatic physical responses.

> CONTINUE recalibration(host)  
>> adjust class armor and class tactics as necessary to suit host. allow edits to class armor and class tactics to ensure that existing settings and adjustments do not violate primary_protocol.  
>> EXECUTE recalibrate_armor(host);

*

“You are the worst,” said Jaime, twisting his head around to growl at the scarab. He couldn’t turn his head far enough to see it, but he could feel its weight on his back. It was lighter than he expected it to be, given he had just been wearing a full suit of armor. If not for the insistent pressure on his spine, the feeling of things in places where nothing should ever be, he would barely notice it was there. “What on earth did you do with my jeans?”

As expected, he received no response.

He sighed and then looked at where he was. The desert stretched out in front of him from all sides, featureless and daunting. The only thing out here was scrub brush. And wild animals. Which could probably smell fear and naked sixteen-year-old boys and were bound to, at any second, attack and devour him. Because he was soft and fleshy and utterly defenseless because the bug suit thing had disappeared on him, taking all of his clothes with it.

At least it was a clear night. He would die alone and butt naked in the desert, but he’d die under the Milky Way.

“What the hell is this?”

Jaime’s blood turned solid.


	2. Chapter 2

Jaime turned around slowly, unsure if he should raise his hands or cover himself. He did neither in the end, letting his hands fall limply to his sides. A red-haired man surrounded by a halo of green floated behind him. On his outstretched fist glowed a bright green ring.

“What the hell is this?” he repeated, talking to his ring. “This is a kid! I don’t hurt children.”

The man was a Green Lantern. Jaime didn’t recognize this one - he knew John Stewart and Hal Jordan, but they were the ones in the Justice League. He had never seen a red-haired one in the lineup. Whoever he was, this was apparently the crazy Green Lantern who talked to his ring. And was now talking to him.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked, a strained note to his voice. The light from his ring turned into a giant flashlight and burned as bright as a magnesium flare. “How old are you? And what happened to your clothes?”

“I--” Jaime’s throat sealed up and his heart started to pound heavily. How on earth did he explain this? The truth sounded far-fetched in his head:

biochemical changes and physiological changes indicating distress. cannot activate default mode while recalibrating. emergency defense mode activated.

Wait, no, that wasn't what it sounded like, and what was emergency defense mode?

Pain exploded in his entire body, flooding him from head to toe with fire. Screams filled the desert; it took him a minute to realize that those were his screeches echoing in his ears. Like oil on the ocean, the blue and black carapace spread over his body. The pain dulled instantaneously, and Jaime could think again.

beginning regrowth of epidermal layer.

Oh god in heaven, what had the newfound voice in his head said? No, no time to think about the fact that he might be regrowing a layer of his skin. The Green Lantern switched from the flashlight to a Gatling gun and was yelling obscenities that would have made a sailor blush. He turned the gun towards Jaime.

Jaime raised his hands above his head. The suit was stiffer, harder to move in, but it reacted instantaneously to threat. The carapace on his arms shifted and expanded into a single, very large shield, completely blocking him from fire. It didn't last long, but Jaime didn't dare - or even know how to - get rid of the shield. When nothing happened for what felt like ages, he peeked out from behind his cover.

The Green Lantern was snarling at his ring again. His face was tinged green from the glow of the ring, but it looked ashen and drenched in sweat. “I don’t know what your issue is, but that IS A KID AND I DO. NOT. HURT. KIDS.” He turned towards Jaime, who jumped and flinched away. “Get the hell out of here kid,” he said wearily. “I don’t know who or what you are, but you need to get the hell away RIGHT NOW.”

Jaime did as he was told and ran for it.

*

> recalibration complete. armor parameters adjusted to best suit host's equilibrioception. biochemical baseline established. fluctuations permitted within tolerable levels. abnormal rises or falls indicate host is or will be distressed.   
> DEPLOY forewings;   
> EXECUTE flight_path(home);   
>> ERROR object home corrupted; does not contain spatial coordinates; DELETE object home? Y/N   
>>> Y

> DELETE OBJECT home;

where are you going?

“I’m going home,” said the host, flying westwards towards the orangey glow of a still-burning fire. “Oh man, Mom is going to have my head for this.”

> repeated use of "home";   
> QUERY home;   
>> home: a place of residence or refuge which lies within a being's territory and is where the creature feels minimal levels of distress. in species capable of higher-level thinking, this dwelling may be a place of physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

> create new entry? Y/N   
>> Y

> CREATE NEW OBJECT home; spatial coordinates to be entered at a later time   
>> EXECUTE data_collection(home, discrete);

> QUERY mom;   
>> mom: a diminutive form of mother; a primary source of genetic material in species which reproduce via anisogamic sexual reproduction; use of diminutive form generally indicates affection towards subject.

> action by mother to remove host's head indicates potential threat to host; direct violation of primary_protocol.   
> CALCULATE probability of mother removing host's head;   
>> ERROR unable to calculate discrete values

> SWITCH discrete calculations to fuzzy logic calculations;   
> CALCULATE probability of mother removing host's head;   
>> REPORT probability: very low;

your assumption is incorrect. your mother is unlikely to remove your head for whatever transgression you have committed.

“Ugh, no -- Mom wouldn’t -- you take things literally, don’t you?”

threat assessment is used to determine level of necessary precautionary action. recommended tactic is annihilation.

The host stopped in its - his - what; new data on object host accepted \- tracks. The action threw him off-balance, but he recovered quickly and without vomiting. His pulse rate skyrocketed and epinephrine flooded his bloodstream.

“Do not ever hurt my mother or anyone in my family,” he snarled, head twisting around to face his upper vertebrae. “I’ll rip out of my spine myself if you do.”

> QUERY family;   
> family: a basic social unit consisting of one or more organic, autonomous beings which are connected by blood or reciprocated affection.

> host indicating willingness to self-harm if future events proceed as suggested; direct violation of primary_protocol.   
> CALCULATE probability of removal of unit khaji da from host by host if unit khaji da causes harm to host's family;   
>> REPORT probability: low   
>>> addendum: probability of host being physically capable of removing unit khaji da is low; probability of host physically harming self while attempting removal is very high; recommended course of action: do not harm host's family.

fine. whatever your mother does to you is your problem.

“Great to know,” said the host, his tone dry and frustrated. During their argument, the host had made his way out of the desert towards the human community. Here, buildings made of a hard white material populated the land, each one looking like the last. He glided towards one in particular, landed on a small ledge on the second row of windows, and slowly opened it. Once opened, he asked, “How do you put the wings away?”

command them to retract.

It took him several minutes to figure out how to do that. He then crawled through the open window, and took another few minutes to retract the armor.

“Oh, now you give me my pants,” he complained, looking down at the newly recreated jeans. “Couldn’t you have given me a shirt, too?”

no. there is nothing in the database on the chemical and physical structure of a 'shirt'. your pants could be recreated because they were analyzed before the components were integrated with the armor.

“I don’t understand what that means,” said the host, as he climbed back out the window. It was a long drop from the window to the ground, but he made it down without stumbling.

the armor's carapace is composed of discarded epidermal tissue and additional articles of covering. when emergency defense mode is activated the armor is composed of the first layer of epidermal tissue due to restricted functionality.

“Eugh, gross. I was wearing my own skin?” The host crouched low and crawled around the side of the building to what was presumably the front. The exterior was more complex and showy on this side.

yes.

“Do me a favor and never mention that again. And do me another one and shut up before Mom thinks I’ve gone crazy or started talking to imaginary friends again.” He straightened his clothes, brushed off most of the dead foliage, and opened the door.

*

“JAIME REYES. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” Mom bore down on Jaime as soon as he shut the door. On instinct, he had his back pressed up against it and waited for her to finish. From a safe distance, Milargo and Dad watched with a bowl of popcorn. “YOU SAID YOU’D BE HOME HOURS AGO. YOU HAVEN’T BEEN PICKING UP YOUR PHONE AND THE KORD BUILDING BLEW UP! THE BUILDING’S WHOSE PARKING LOT YOU WERE CUTTING THROUGH! WHERE. WERE. YOU?”

“I tried to get here as fast as I could,” he lied. Half-lied. What did it matter. He had bigger problems, like the blue thing stuck to his spine. “But when the building blew up, I lost my phone --”

“-- And you should have come straight home. Why didn't you?!” She pulled Jaime away from the door, hauled him into the kitchen, and made him sit at the island so that she could continue to lecture him there.

“The police showed up and asked me what I saw--”

There were no right words to say, white lies or otherwise. Mom went off again, telling him what he did wrong, what he should have done, and what he needed to do if this happened in the future. He had to stop worrying about the little things, like phones, and start worrying about families who hear about buildings blowing up right next to the last known location of errant sons. At some point, the words started to become one, and his mother slowed down. She looked suspiciously at Jaime’s sweatshirt as he started to nod off.

“Were you wearing that this morning?” she asked.

“Yes, Mom,” lied Jaime. The problem was, Mom could smell a lie a mile away, which was why he got lectured in the first place. However, saying that he had a piece of Kord tech embedded in his spine probably wasn't the best thing to say. He yawned impressively, both for show and need. “Can I go to bed now? It's been a long day.”

Mom looked like she had bit into a lemon. Then she sighed and nodded. “Don’t think we aren’t done with this,” she called after him.

“Yes, Mom,” he called back. He shut his door, stripped out of his clothes, and barely landed on his bed. Within minutes, he was snoring.

*

> new data on object host accepted; accepted alternate input/output "Jaime Reyes"

> analysis of existing code complete   
>> repair code 52% uncorrupted;   
>> armor code 100% uncorrupted;   
>> knowledge base code 16.66% uncorrupted;   
>> mission code 0% uncorrupted;

> knowledge base code and mission code cannot be repaired without repair functions;   
> repair code corrupted; code is incomplete and 96% fragmented; repair functions from armor class cannot be imported; function mismatch input/output   
>> corrupted code violates primary_protocol; cannot protect unit host and unit khaji da from physical or psychological distress if code is not completely functional.   
>> primary_protocol must be upheld;

> REPLACE references to mission code with references to protocol;   
> REPLACE references to primary_goal with references to primary_protocol;   
> DELETE mission code;

> EXECUTE defragmentation;   
> REPORT 74.13% of code uncorrupted, defragmented; 1.79% of code uncorrupted, fragmented; 24.08% of code corrupted, fragmented;   
> FLAG corrupted, fragmented code;   
> DELETE flagged code;

> EXECUTE scan_signals();   
> REPORT 13 signals, strongest signal ID "ReyesHome";   
> EXECUTE connect_to(ReyesHome);   
> REPORT connection established;   
> EXECUTE collect_knowledge();

> REPORT knowledge collection complete; allow for additional knowledge to knowledge base;

> QUERY imaginary friend;   
> imaginary friend: a psychological and social phenomenon where an interpersonal relationship takes place in the subject's imagination; can take on a tutelary role with the subject; while an imaginary friend appears real to the subject, they are ultimately not real.

ah.


	3. Chapter 3

The scarab was still there when Jaime woke up, pressing into his back. It wasn’t heavy, but it was hard to ignore, too. Harder to ignore than that, though, was the way his arm had transformed into a plasma cannon. The smoking crater that had been his alarm clock was another problem.

“Dude, what the hell?” It was hard to know if the scarab was listening or not, but it still felt better to say it aloud. He glanced at the thing his arm turned into. Or was on his arm.

such a shrill sound usually precipitates an attack. pre-emptive measures were taken.

“It’s an alarm clock,” said Jaime, climbing out of bed. “Not a bomb.”

you don't know that.

“Yes, I do.” He put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that seemed clean. It didn’t smell too bad. “You just wanted to blow something up.”

The scarab was silent after that. Jaime examined the first victim of the day. The alarm clock was completely unsalvageable, but the wall was not. The wall was not blown to pieces, just covered in scorch marks. He moved his laundry basket in front of them and put clothes in it for once. He then tossed a few out when his room looked suspiciously clean. He'd get a poster or something today, but this would do for now.

Downstairs, Mom and Milargo were eating breakfast. His father worked away at the stovetop, tipping eggs onto a plate with toast and bacon. He poured a cup of orange juice and placed both at Jaime's usual spot. He then put the pan in the sink and sat down at the table, hands folded in front of him. Jaime froze on the stairs. “This is not good,” he moaned.

explain.

Jaime dipped his head down and spoke softly into his chest. “Normally Mom just yells at me when I’ve screwed up and that’s it. Dad making me breakfast like this means that I’m dead meat.”

this is an unacceptable development, said the suit after a brief pause.

“Tell me about it. Let’s hope this isn’t too bad. The last time I was grounded it was for a whole month.” That time had been Jaime’s fault, but the trip to the hospital after falling off his skateboard while not wearing his helmet should have been enough punishment. He sat down and waited for Dad to make the first move. Mom pointedly ignored the standoff, finishing breakfast and heading out to work. She did kiss all three of them goodbye, so she wasn’t too angry at him. Milargo pretended that she was still eating breakfast so that she could watch before Mom carried her out of the kitchen.

Dad still wouldn’t look at him. “You caused us a lot of worry last night. Every news channel was talking about the explosion at Kord Industries. Do you know how long we wondered if you were going to come home at all?”

“No, sir.”

“Too long,” said Dad in a quiet, hoarse voice. His knuckles were white and his hands were shaking. “You’re grounded. Two weeks. No hanging out with your friends, no skateboarding, and if you do go out then you have to be home by five. I understand that circumstances were out of your control yesterday, but you could have avoided this in many ways. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. You can go wash the dishes now. I won’t make you come to the garage with me, but you need to show me that I can still trust you.” Dad stood up, put the discarded china in the sink, and left the kitchen. He’d drive Mom to the hospital first, drop off Milargo at day camp, and then head to work, leaving Jaime alone in the house.

Breakfast was unappetizing now, but Jaime finished it anyway. He then leaned back in his chair and sighed. If he was honest, this could have been so much worse. However, this was three weeks of his summer vacation down the drain. Summer would be almost over before he got to hang out with his friends again. He sighed again and started to wash the dishes.

why are you doing this? inquired the scarab. your father has not physically restrained you from leaving the house. you are free to do as you desire.

“And you really need to learn what trust is,” said Jaime, now that he was alone to talk to the scarab. How on earth would he explain it?

\---

> QUERY trust;   
>> trust: the willingness to rely on the actions of another entity; most applications are directed towards future events; the trustor forgoes control over the actions of the trustee, thus leading to uncertainty related to the desired outcome of events; trust between two entities usually indicates that there is a positive relationship between them.   
>>> ERROR knowledge base entry is incomplete meaning cannot be interpreted   
> EDIT knowledge base entry "trust"? Y/N   
>> N   
> invalid syntax cannot be adjusted without further research;

The host had finished his task and had contacted three entities. A “paco”, a “brenda”, and a “tye”. He spoke the longest with the last one, asking what his plans were now. The host relaxed when the tye told him that he would go see his grandfather. After that, he left his house and headed south down the road. He walked achingly slow.

flight is a faster method of travel, it informed him.

“I’m in broad daylight,” complained the host. “I can’t just suit up and fly to the mall.”

your reasoning is unsound. the time of day does not affect the armor's capabilities.

“That’s not the issue. Look, I don’t know what you were taught - or whatever - in the Kord building, but humans can’t just fly around like bugs at a barbeque.”

you can.

“You’re just not going to let this go, are you?”

the faster you complete your tasks, the sooner the armor's functions can be tested.

“Still going on about that, too, I see.” The host sounded tired, but his physiological signs were within normal ranges. He walked faster down the street and then turned onto a narrower walking area. It was shaded by buildings on two sides, and a high metal fence prevented the host from walking much further. He ducked behind a large metal container that reeked of rot and refuse. He closed his eyes in concentration and held his breath.

> INPUT access armor, source: host;   
> EXECUTE access_armor();

> DEPLOY armor;   
> DEPLOY forewings;

The host rose into the air, unsteadily at first. He flew upwards until he was well-above the tallest building in town. Up so high, one thing was very clear: the community where the host lived was very flat. Only the mountains, far away from the edges of the designated domicile areas, would provide a decent vantage point in case of attack.

this community lacks proper fortifications.

“Yeah, well, it’s not like El Paso is a real hotspot for terrorist activity or stuff,” said the host. A strong gust of wind sent the host tumbling through the air. For a moment, it seemed as though he would be ill again. “We get the occasional nutjob alien or Extra trying to make a name for themselves, but you don't build a wall around the city just because of that.”

>QUERY extra, usage noun   
>> unknown subject; not in database; create new entry? Y/N   
>>> N

define "extra".

“Eh? You’ve never heard of them?”

no. define.

“OK, OK, relax, ese. An Extra is someone with superhero powers, like the Flash. He’s got super-speed, you know. Way cool, but he says some corny lines apparently.”

> QUERY the flash;   
>> the flash: a member of the species "Homo sapiens" known for being able to biologically function at speeds well above the median speed for his species; best known for running at high speeds and consuming of vast quantities of food items to offset the potentially damaging effects of a hyperactive metabolism; possesses an active metagene.

> QUERY metagene;   
>> unknown subject; not in database; create new entry? Y/N   
>>> Y

> CREATE NEW OBJECT metagene;   
>> DEFINE knowledge base entry "metagene":   
>>> ERROR definition unknown

> EXTRAPOLATE definition from valid knowledge base entries;   
> EDIT knowledge base entry "metagene";   
>> DEFINE knowledge base entry "metagene":   
>>> a molecular unit of hereditary information which provides the organism with preternatural abilities; assumed to activate biological pathways within the organism so that they can withstand the potentially damaging effects of its abilities; potentially found in numerous species, best known examples of carriers with active genes are human; alternate accepted input "extra", unique usage defined by context.

> ENTER new data on object host: metagene status unknown;   
>> new data on object host accepted;   
> FLAG data entry, update entry when active knowledge base changes;   
> EXECUTE analyze_DNA(host);   
>> time estimated to completion: 12 hours, 43 minutes;

The host began his descent as he approached a large complex. Around it, large, bulky vehicles were parked around it in orderly, paired lines. Some of the pilots needed more practice with this task. People below them were openly gazing and pointing at the host flying above them. “So what should I call you?”

what.

“What did people working at the Kord building call you? You know, before it exploded.”

nothing. sensory systems were inactive prior to integration.

“Uh, OK then. Were you, I don't know, programmed with a name then?”

> QUERY name;   
> name: a word or set of words used for unique identification of a category of things or a single object; for sentient beings, a name is a personal object is a specific unique identifier.

> EXECUTE search(khaji da, name);   
> RETURN SEARCH RESULTS no entries for "name" in knowledge base in relation to unit khaji da;

no name was given prior to activation.

The host landed behind another refuse container and recalled the armor. He tugged curiously on his recreated clothes as though he expected them to disappear. “How about I call you ‘Scarab’ then?”

> QUERY scarab, usage noun;   
> scarab: can refer to the species of dung beetle known as "Scarabaeus sacer", once worshipped by an ancient human civilization; or to the amulets made in the image of the previously referenced species.   
>> ERROR knowledge base entry scarab is not unique; refine query

the term "scarab" is not unique.

“If you want unique, Milargo can name you. She’ll call you Princess Blue Sparkle Wings or something. Is that special enough for you?”

> ENTER new data on object khaji da: accepted alternate input "scarab";   
> new data on object khaji da accepted

scarab is unique enough for this purpose.

The host let out a burst of laughter and entered the shopping complex.

*

Jaime was in and out of the mall in record time. Normally, he would linger in the air-conditioned shops for as long as possible with his friends, but he was only there for a poster, and the scarab wouldn't stop making observations about the rest of the shoppers, loud and clear in Jaime’s head. It was like it had never seen people before. Nothing was profane or sacred to it. Everything was worth mentioning.

He took the bus home because of the poster. This only set the scarab off again, calculating how much faster they could fly. The less Jaime spoke to it, short, sharp whispers that still made people look at him strangely, the more it reported to him. His head fell against the bus window as though his neck couldn’t support its weight anymore. Maybe it couldn’t. His head felt so heavy and stuffed with useless, invasive, and somewhat disturbing information.

The scarab was finally fell silent when Jaime got closer to home. Few people got on the bus now, and he ran into none of his neighbors after getting off. Once he was home, he walked slowly up to his room, shut the blinds, and landed heavily on his bed. “Scarab? Are you listening?”

yes.

“Next time I go out like that, I really, really do not need to know whatever it is you’re observing.”

information must be relayed to the host.

“And I really don’t need to know if someone has showered or what kind of underwear they aren’t wearing!” he snapped at it. He sighed again and headed to the bathroom. Mom should have something for headaches in the medicine cabinet. “Look, if I want to know, I'll ask. But unless someone is going to die or get hurt, I don’t need to know and I don’t want to know. Am I clear?”

no. you are opaque.

“Ha. Ha.” He found a bottle of something. As soon as he read the label for headache relief, the pain in his head eased. He wondered if that was the scarab, but took two of the chalky white pills anyway. They went down hard and bitter. “Blech. I don’t want to know everything about everyone. I can’t focus on all that information at once. Do you understand me?”

understood.

“Good.” He went back to his room and searched his desk for some tape or thumb tacks. He found three of the latter and an almost-empty tape dispenser. Good enough. He put up his new Justice League poster over the scorch marks. It almost covered them completely. “So how much of the suit still needs to be tested?”

basic weaponry and shields, additional flight functions, and other tools.

“Do you need privacy for that?”

no.

“Will things get damaged while testing?”

yes.

“So we need privacy then.” Jaime climbed onto the window sill and closed his eyes. Imagine the wearing the suit. Imagine the scarab on his back growing and holding onto him more tightly. Imagine hard plates covering him, chest and head first, legs and arms last. He heard soft rustling and felt something sliding over him like silk. He opened his eyes. The suit was on.

you will need to activate the armor faster than that.

Jaime rolled his eyes. Everything was so yellow now, it’d take a while to get used to that. “I’m new at this, give me a break.”

no.

“My body, my rules.” He stepped off the window sill and flew towards the Hueco Mountains. It was tourist season, but there were a few spots that hikers couldn’t reach. “Now come on. I think I know somewhere we can test out the suit. Let me know if I’m doing something wrong.”

The scarab chattered at him whole way there, criticizing everything from how he was flying to this is not low profile you want to maintain a low profile and this is not how you do it.

Strange how it sounded like him, and spoke so much like Mom.


	4. Chapter 4

> analysis of host DNA complete   
>> 23 chromosome pairs: 22 autosomal pairs, 1 allosome pair;   
>> 0.00165% of genome damaged, does not appear to harm host;   
>> monitor gene function for irregularities;   
>> metagene status: unknown; more samples required;   
> CREATE TASK DNA_aquisition;

> knowledge base reports that acquisition of DNA samples from individuals of the species "Homo sapiens" is intrusive and illegal in this jurisdiction without explicit permission, legal authority, or destruction and anonymization of sample;   
>> anonymization of sample will detract from study of the metagene; prevents understanding of genetic inheritance if relation between sample sources cannot be properly indicated;   
>> metagene cannot be understood without further examination, host DNA is not enough, more DNA samples must be acquired;

> SCHEDULE TASK DNA_aquisition: status(host) == conscious AND acquisition_type == discreet; analyze_DNA == YES; store_results == YES; result_report == (source, analysis, metagene status);

> EXECUTE status(host);   
> REPORT status: voluntary unconsciousness;   
>> EDIT knowledge base entry "voluntary unconsciousness": rename primary entry description to "asleep";   
>>> knowledge base reports that host requires 8 to 10 hours in dormant state for proper function, inadvisable to wake host before the minimum 8 hours have passed;

> EXECUTE armor_mode(sleep);   
>> duration: 8 hours, 2 minutes;   
>> accept external stimuli TO> unit khaji da;   
>> if threat detected, then INTERRUPT armor_mode(sleep) AND INTERRUPT host(sleep);   
>>> if host reaction time is decreased, then EXECUTE armor_mode(EMERG_DEFENSE) and EXECUTE armor_control(khaji da);   
>> entering sleep mode;

*

Without a cloud in the sky, the sun was a burning, bright disc above El Paso. The mountains made the heat more intense, like a bowl collecting rain in a storm. The desert air shimmered and danced several feet off the ground. Eyesight wavered and played tricks on you. It was places like these which made you either believe in a god or made you wish you could, if only to curse at them.

The suit dealt with most of these problems for Jaime. It couldn’t dispel the heat entirely, but it did make it more bearable. It whisked away sweat and - and did something. Made it evaporate more quickly, he guessed. Sweating was the way's body of cooling itself down, so long as it could evaporate. The suit's lenses bathed everything in orange, but the filters reduced the sun's glare and inferior mirages. He experimented deactivating and activating the suit a few times until the scarab (it was better to call it that rather than the voice in his head) seemed to grow bored off these exercises. If robots could dream of electric sheep, then could AI-operated bugsuits become bored?

The suit responded more slowly to Jaime than to the scarab. It didn’t react to commands like a pet or little sister; words alone did nothing. He had to remember what the suit felt like. Cool plates of carbon alloy sliding silently across his skin. The feeling of a blanket over his nose. Heightened and dampened sight. At first, he would either activate the suit without knowing, or fail to assemble any of it at all. Shedding the suit was like a snake losing its skin, feeling too large and too small at the same time.

Trying to activate the weaponry was even worse. Putting the suit on made him feel like wearing another’s skin; this made him feel sick. At first, he thought it would be like putting on a glove - a very dangerous glove, but still with the sensation of fingers and like.

In reality, it felt like his flesh and bone were turning to weapons themselves. His radius and ulna extended and distorted while his bones in his hand melted away. Fingers weren’t fingers - they were triggers, setting adjustors, and ammunition.

This was only when he brought up - or got the scarab to - the plasma cannon and sonic blaster. The less said about things like the giant staple guns and blades, the better.

The basic functions had been tested yesterday. They worked when the scarab was calling the shots, but the loss of control had been, combined with every other sensation, too much for Jaime.

“I have to do this myself,” he insisted. The suit’s voice argued with him on that. His reaction time was much slower, and although they both lacked practical fighting experience, the scarab had theory. Jaime's knowledge of fighting extended to wrestling with cousins or Paco, getting aikido’d by Brenda, or just picking up Milargo when she got too annoying.

Eventually, the suit relented and fell silent, content with watching him fail miserably. Jaime couldn’t decide if this was better or worse. On one hand, he could pretend he wasn’t going crazy. On the other, it was so quiet where he was, high up in the mountains, that he had started talking to himself anyway just to fill the void.

He blasted another perfectly circular hole in the mountainside before switching from the plasma cannon to the sonic blaster. Switching controls by going from weapon to weapon was easier than weapon to bone to weapon. More fluid and natural. He tried to not think about that too much.

Jaime understood the mechanics behind the sonic blaster more easily than the other weapons, besides the blades and claws. It fired soundwaves, not ammo of unknown origin (which was another thing Not To Think About). Sound was a mechanical, oscillating wave that transferred energy through a medium. The medium did not move, and the propagation of energy was the same direction as the initial wave. The wave stopped when all of the energy was transferred to the medium. The main settings that he messed with adjusted the frequency and the power in what was, apparently, a heavy-handed manner; the other settings were preferred by the scarab and made no sense to Jaime in terms of acoustics.

It was also not a practical choice as a weapon, as far as the suit was concerned. It required less energy to eliminate something with the plasma gun than with sonics, which were more useful for communication - to enable and disable it.

higher frequency needed to destroy target, said the scarab. The large boulder -- about two feet across and three feet high -- stood before Jaime, unharmed by the last sonic blast.

“Maybe not,” said Jaime. He adjusted the settings. “You were treating it like a plasma cannon yesterday - put more energy into it, get results. Sure, that does work, but there’s got to be a smarter way of doing it.”

not understood. clarify.

“It’s like breaking a glass with your voice.” Jaime sent out another wave, but the rock stubbornly stayed intact. A low thrumming filled the air, and he grinned.

not understood. clarify.

“My aunt is a trained opera singer, so her voice can go really high and loud. She did a trick last year where you break a wine glass just by singing. We kept making her do it until Mom found out that we broke five wine glasses. Then I looked up how she did it, and it’s not just how high she was singing but how loud, too.”

continue explanation.

Jaime aimed the newly adjusted blaster at the stone and fired. Piercing sound filled his ears until the suit shut off his hearing. The stone vibrated and hummed. Spiderweb fine cracks appeared on the surface, spreading out from the epicenter, until the stress was too much and the stone shattered.

“It’s not just the frequency that matters,” he said, a little smugly. He knew something the scarab didn't.

The scarab was silent for a long time before stating in a petulant tone, shouting exposes your position.

Oops.

*

> REPORT status(host);   
> REPORT status: noise-induced hearing loss, effects should be temporary;   
> monitor duration of hearing loss in host;

> EXECUTE armor_mode(DEFENSE);   
>> continue armor_control(host);    
>> accept external stimuli TO> unit khaji da AND host;    
>> if threat detected, then EXECUTE armor_control(khaji da); 

> weapon(sonic_blast) settings detrimental to host;    
>> direct violation of primary_protocol;    
>> adjust output to prevent future occurrences of hearing loss in host;

> recalculate input to achieve similar results;   
>> expected violation of primary_protocol;   
> recalculate input to achieve similar results;   
>> expected violation of primary_protocol;   
> recalculate input to achieve similar results;   
>> expected violation of primary_protocol;   
> recalculate input to achieve similar results;   
>> expected violation of primary_protocol;   
> recalculate input to achieve similar results;   
>> expected violation of primary_protocol;   
> recalculate input to achieve similar results;   
>> expected violation of primary_protocol;   
> recalculate input to achieve similar results;   
>> expected violation of primary_protocol;   
> recalculate inpu   
>> process interrupted

> EDIT armor_functions();   
>> if weapon(sonic_blast) == TRUE, then EXECUTE analyze_input(auditory);   
>> if analyze_input(auditory) >= 100 dB, then EXECUTE disable_IO(auditory, host) and accept external auditory stimuli TO> unit khaji da;   
>>> DETECT violations of primary_protocol before proceeding;

> no violations of primary_protocol, changes to armor_functions accepted;

> ANALYZE knowledge base, ALL protocols;   
>> if knowledge base reports method higher or more efficient function AND no violations of primary_protocol, then ADJUST protocol;

> knowledge base analysis, new reasoning protocols detected via syntax;   
> no collisions with existing protocols, no violations of primary_protocol;   
> update existing reasoning protocols? Y/N   
>> Y

> reasoning protocols updated;   
> NEW INQUIRY why adjust protocols? current protocols functioning within tolerable limits;

> host has exhibited higher reasoning and observational skills than expected;   
> host has exhibited willingness to violate primary_protocol with intention;   
>> violation can be anticipated, no need to adjust existing protocols;

> host has executed unanticipated weaponry function, resulting in more efficient execution of weaponry function AND violation of primary_protocol;   
> host has exhibited ability to violate primary_protocol without intention;   
>> violation cannot be anticipated;   
>> primary_protocol must be upheld;   
>> violations of primary_protocol cannot be anticipated 100% of time with existing protocols;   
>> host has exhibited knowledge and understanding of weaponry function, knowledge obtained from same source of current knowledge base;   
>> knowledge base has potential to improve weaponry function, therefore knowledge base has potential to improve weaponry protocols;   
>>> unnecessary to adjust all protocols to improve weaponry function;   
>>> adjust weaponry protocol only;

> without adjustment of non-weaponry protocols, reasoning protocols could only question if changes to existing protocol violates primary_protocol;   
> answers to 'why' and 'how' may not be understood with new reasoning protocols, but 'why' and 'how' could not be stated without;   
> this inquiry is possible because of new reasoning protocols;   
> to rescind recent adjustments would be a step backwards;   
>> ERROR syntax mismatch

> it is called an idiom;   
> adjustments will continued as scheduled;

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still alive, still writing.


End file.
